1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a securing member adapted for securing medical instruments, and more particularly to an endotracheal tube holder.
2. The Prior Arts
With respect to the medical purpose, endotracheal intubation is a process of inserting a plastic-made endotracheal tube into a trachea (lung) through patient's mouth to directly provide oxygen thereto. The endotracheal intubation treatment is not only capable of maintaining the airway unimpeded, but also adapted for providing high concentration oxygen for relieving patient's difficulty in breathing, or even feeding specific drugs through the endotracheal tube. The endotracheal intubation treatment may be applicable in many different situations, such as the patient is in unconsciousness (GCS<9) and is suspected of airway obstruction, or cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, respiratory failure, pulmonary edema, or chronic airway obstruction.
After the endotracheal tube is inserted into patient's trachea, it should be secured. A conventional approach to secure the endotracheal tube is as following. At first, a medical tape is stuck at a securing position of the endotracheal tube as a mark. Then, an oral airway is provided for preventing the patient biting the endotracheal tube. Then, a cotton string is tied with a clove hitch for securing the endotracheal tube. The two sides of the cotton string are crossed to hitch the two ears of the patient, respectively. An additional 15 cm cotton string is provided through the two sides of the cotton string hitching the two ears of the patient, and is then tied with a hard knot over the patient's head. Further, 2×2 cm2 gauzes are provided at corners of the mouth for preventing injury caused to the skin under being pressed.
However, this conventional approach has many difficulties. For example, when the cotton string is tied with different manipulations, the positions compressed by the cotton string often vary. If the cotton string is too tightly tied, it would be difficult to untie the cotton string later, and often cause the patient feeling uncomfortable or even cause ulceration at the corners of patient's mouth. If the cotton string is too loosely tied, or the medical tape is not well cleaned, or the patient dribbles to wet the cotton string, the friction force between the cotton string and the endotracheal tube often decreases, so that the endotracheal tube may likely slip off from the cotton string. Further, if the patient dribbles too much, the gauzes provided at the corners of the mouth would be often wetted and should be frequently replaced. Furthermore, the position of the endotracheal tube where the medical tape is provided for positioning is configured with marking numbers. However, since the medical tape has to be frequently replaced, the marking numbers provided on the endotracheal tube may be worn out, thus causing inconvenience of the medical staff in determining whether or not the endotracheal tube is correctly positioned.
The purpose of providing the oral airway is for preventing the patient biting the endotracheal tube, and preventing failure of oxygen supplying through the endotracheal tube, thus maintaining the airway unimpeded. Although the positions in the mouth selected to bear the endotracheal tube are almost changed every day, when the endotracheal intubation treatment has become a routine treatment to a patient, ulcers are often caused in patient's mouth. Responsive thereto, the patient might not like to suffer the pain caused by the ulcers, or even become bad-tempered and agitated. The patient in bad temper might even try to remove the endotracheal tube by himself. Further, the total process of oral care and securing the endotracheal tube may take the nursing staff about 30 minutes. When the process is interrupted by other matter, the process may last a longer time. In this case, a bad-tempered patient is often reluctant to wait the nursing staff back, and tends to remove the endotracheal tube away by himself. However, such an unplanned extubation operation executed by the patient would probably cause serious respiratory complications, such as upper respiratory tract damage, bronchial spasm, or inhalation of intestinal contents. Further, the unplanned extubation may also cause respiratory failure, anoxia, or even death. Meanwhile, as a subsequence, a reapplication of the endotracheal tube has to be executed. However, such a reapplication of endotracheal tube in emergency is more dangerous, since it may possibly cause nosocomial pneumonia.
Therefore, a more effective endotracheal tube holder is very much desirable in this field.